


Campfire Kisses

by commandercrouton



Series: Reylo Drabbles & One-Shots [19]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Birthday Party, Blackouts, But obviously they get married and fall in love and lots of babies and are oh so happy, Camping, Domestic Fluff, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Forehead Kisses, Happy Ending, Kissing, One Shot, POV Ben Solo, Parent Ben Solo, Parent Rey (Star Wars), Past Kaylo, Past Relationship(s), Single Parents, minor alcohol consumption, past Damerey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:48:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23936350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commandercrouton/pseuds/commandercrouton
Summary: “Well, buddy, it’s up to you. Do you want to wait until the weather is better, or still have Tyler over today for your birthday?”Ian ran a hand through his hair, a move scarily similar to his own as Ian tried to find the right words to voice his frustration. “I want... to still have my birthday party.”“Okay, well instead of camping outside, why don’t we camp inside?”Ian’s lips parted as he thought it through. “We can do that.”Ben kneeled down, ruffling his kid’s hair softly. “It’s your birthday, kid. We can do anything you want. Well,” he amended,” within reason.”
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Reylo Drabbles & One-Shots [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1422574
Comments: 17
Kudos: 97
Collections: Anniversary Fic Exchange 2020





	Campfire Kisses

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HelenFlower92](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HelenFlower92/gifts).



> I hope you enjoy what I did with the prompt! Enjoy your story!

“Daddy, it’s raining,” Ian called out from the living room. 

Ben finished frosting the small batch of cupcakes and looked up at the window. It indeed was raining and showed no signs of stopping. 

“How are we going to go camping if it’s raining?” Ian asked while his eyes glistened with unshed tears. 

Ben’s heart constricted at the sight. Maybe he should have just had a normal birthday party for the entire class like the other mothers suggested. It was the first birthday they were celebrating since Ian’s mother officially moved out of state, and he wanted to make it special. Ian had been showing signs of social anxiety all his life, but his mother leaving him behind increased his outbursts. The thought of forcing him into a large birthday didn’t sit right with Ben. Instead, he listened to his son when he said he wanted to have a camping day with his best friend.

“Well, buddy, it’s up to you. Do you want to wait until the weather is better, or still have Tyler over today for your birthday?”

Ian ran a hand through his hair, a move scarily similar to his own as Ian tried to find the right words to voice his frustration. “I want... to still have my birthday party.”

“Okay, well instead of camping outside, why don’t we camp inside?”

Ian’s lips parted as he thought it through. “We can do that.”

Ben kneeled down, ruffling his kid’s hair softly. “It’s your birthday, kid. We can do anything you want. Well,” he amended,” within reason.”

\----

Three short raps on the door caused Ian to run from his room to the front door. “Daddy, someone’s at the door!” Ian yelled.

Ben followed his son and gently chided him, “We don’t yell in the house unless it’s an emergency, Ian.”

He opened the door and was greeted with the sight of Tyler, his son’s best friend, and his mother, Miss Johnson. 

“Tyler, you made it!”

“Happy Birthday Ian!” Tyler shoved a small bag into Ian’s hands, and his face lit up. 

“Daddy, can I open my present?”

“After we have cupcakes, okay? Why don’t you let your friend inside the house?”

Instead of answering, Ian grabbed Tyler’s hand and pulled him inside. 

“Hi, Miss Johnson,” Ben greeted Tyler’s mom, stepping aside for her to cross the threshold. 

“Ben, you can call me Rey.” She smiled at him. “Shoes on or off?” She shrugged off her jacket.

“Off, please.”

“Tyler, shoes off!” Rey yelled down the hallway. 

“Daddy, Miss Johnson yelled. We don’t yell in the house,” Ian yelled back. 

Ben’s cheeks flushed pink at his son’s abrasiveness. “I’m sorry, you know how kids are.”

Rey just laughed. “No worries. We each have our own rules in our own house. Anything I can help with?”

“Do you mind keeping an eye on the kids while I gather the supplies for the campout?”

Rey’s hazel eyes looked out the window pointedly. “I didn’t think that was still happening.”

“We are, just with a few adjustments. Let me show you to the living room.” Ben walked forward, and he heard Rey’s quiet footsteps following behind him. “Make yourself at home.”

Ben walked back to the kitchen, gathering everything he needed for the camping trip in the living room. The cupcakes would wait until later, but he did grab the ingredients for s'mores, juice boxes, and trail mix. He realized a little too late he only packed snacks for the children, and had no sustenance for Rey. Maybe he could order pizza for dinner if they stayed late enough.

He carried the snacks into the living room and was greeted with the sounds of laughter from all three members in the living room. Ben was frozen at the sight in front of him. It almost seemed like the happy home he envisioned when he was younger.

“Fee fi fo fum, I can smell my darling mum,” Tyler stomped around with his eyes closed while Rey held Ian as she ran around the room. 

“Ian it’s your turn, what do you say?” Rey whispered to him encouragingly. 

“Fum fo fi fee, oh big giant, you’ll never catch me!” Ian crowed loudly. 

Tyler turned his head to the direction of the sound and began to stomp slowly forward, trying to catch them. 

“Move Miss Johnson, the giant is coming!”

“Oh no, my legs, they are turning into jelly! I can’t move,” Rey cried dramatically, moving slowly allowing her son to catch up to them. 

Tyler grabbed his mom’s legs and all three erupted into giggles. 

“Can I be the giant now?” Ian asked.

“Of course!” Rey set Ian down and picked Tyler up instead. “Are you ready?”

Ian closed his eyes and recited the lines. “Fee fi fo fum, I smell my darling—” Ian stopped. “Miss Johnson, I can’t smell my mum. I don’t have one.”

Ben was about to step forward and try to sort the situation out, but Rey beat him to it. 

“How about we change the words? What about fee fi fo fum, I can smell your stinky bum.”

The boys collapsed into giggles.

Rey pretended to think some more. “What’s so funny? Is it the word ‘smell’?”

  
“No!” Both the boys cried. 

“Hmmm, well is it the word ‘your’?”

“No!” They cried out again. 

“Maybe it is the word ‘bum,’” Ben interjected, finally making his presence known. 

Rey stood up, blushing intensely at being caught. “Sorry,” she winced, “the British slang sometimes slips out.”

“Daddy, we were playing giants! Miss Johnson, can Daddy play, too?”

“I think Daddy would be an excellent giant, don’t you boys think so?” Rey looked at Ben seriously as she responded to Ian, but he could see the glint of mischievousness in her eyes. 

“Mr. Solo is tall. He’s like a tree. I bet he’s taller than my dad,” Tyler said looking up at him with wide eyes. 

“I think so too,” Rey agreed.

“Tyler, I didn’t know you had a daddy,” Ian whispered. 

“I did, but he doesn’t live here anymore. Mummy said he has to fly people all over the world.”

“Woah, that’s so cool. Daddy, is that where Mommy went? To fly planes with Tyler’s dad?”

Rey and Ben looked nervously at one another, clearly not ready to talk about the more serious conversation of the children’s other parents. 

“Ian, kid, remember your mommy moved far away for a job, but she will be back for Hannukah. Now, I brought snacks! Who is ready for the campout?”

“Me! Me! Me!” Both of the children cried out excitedly, circling his legs. 

Ben bent down, forcing them to stay still as they looked at each other. “I’m going to get the campfire started, but that means I need two very big helpers who can make our fort. Do you two think you can handle it?” 

The two boys nodded eagerly. “I’m not sure, what do you think Miss Johnson?”

Rey pressed a finger to her lips, tapping it a couple of times as she pretended to think. “These two seem like the right helpers to me, Mr. Solo.”

“I have blankets and pillows and chairs all set up in the television room for the fort building. Ian, will you show Tyler where it is?”

“Come on Tyler! We can build the bestest fort there ever was!”

Rey followed behind the two as Ben walked to the small gas-fireplace. He twisted the line and waited until he heard the gas before igniting it. A burst of warmth radiated into the room and Ben imagined a different life for just a moment. One with a family without a broken home as he and his partner sat in front of the fireplace on a rainy day, while their baby slept quietly in either of their arms. If it was like this though, then he wouldn’t be raising Ian. He couldn’t imagine a life without Ian. He would make the same mistakes over again if it brought his son to him. 

A clap of thunder erupted, shaking the house. Seconds later, screams erupted as the lights flickered. Ben looked out the window and was surprised to see how fast the sky darkened. 

Lightning streaked across the sky, followed closely by another clap of thunder, throwing the house into darkness. The only light came from the fireplace scattering shadows across his face. 

“Ben?” Rey’s voice called out for him, fear tinged her voice and he instantly stood up. Ben rushed to the television room, his legs moving faster than he could comprehend. 

“Rey, where are you?”

“Daddy?” Ian’s voice came out next, sounding small and frightened.

“Ian stay where you are, alright? It’s okay.”

“Mummy, I’m scared,” Tyler whispered. 

“Shh, it’s okay. Ben is here. He’s gonna take care of us.” 

Ben stepped forward slowly as his eyes adjusted to the dark. He could see the outline of a mass in the middle of the floor. He walked to the form and knelt down, reaching his arms out as he tried to find Ian. His hands reached and brushed against a feminine face with a pert nose and soft lips. He jolted his hand back as if he was burned. 

“Sorry,” he whispered. He felt something cling to his arm and could recognize the form of his son trying to crawl into his lap. “Ian, are you okay?”

“The storm is loud,” he whimpered. 

“I know,” he said, trying to think quickly. A delicate hand gripped his forearm, and he knew it was Rey, trying to connect to everyone next to her as they sat in the dark. 

She let out a relieved breath as she jumped in. “Ian, I think the storm just wanted to help us out with camping. There’s no light in the forest.”

“But Mummy, the dark is scary,” Tyler argued. 

“It is very scary,” Rey agreed, “but you know what makes me feel better? Knowing I have you next to me, and I have Ian. I also know Ben is here to help us. How could I be scared when I have the three strongest people I know?”

“Miss Johnson, I think you are very strong too,” Ian whispered as he adjusted to sit between Ben and Rey.

“I got the campfire ready. Why don’t we go back to the other room to eat the snacks guys? We can all walk there together.”

“I think that sounds like a great idea!” Rey agreed. He could feel her standing up with Tyler in her arms, and he did the same with Ian.

“Daddy, you have to hold Miss Johnson’s hand so she doesn’t get scared.” Ian’s tone was commanding, and eerily reminiscent of Ben’s own mom. 

“Ian, kid, I think she is okay enough to walk alone to the other room.”

“Mr. Solo, please. I don’t want us to get lost and be alone,” Tyler begged.

His heart clenched at the statement. He reached his hand out beside him, his large fingers ghosting over her small ones. They trailed against one another softly as he said, “You’re not alone.”

She intertwined their fingers and held his hand tightly. His heart skipped a beat as she answered, “Neither are you.”

\----

Ben left the small group in front of the fire roasting marshmallows. Now that they both had their cell phones in hand, they had the luxury of using their flashlights much to the children’s delight. 

He was in the basement, currently, looking at the breaker. Flipping them all back and forth did nothing, and the storm showed no signs of letting up. Shit. 

Using the flashlight to light his way, he walked up to the main floor and pushed open the door to the hallway. He could hear Rey’s voice trailing down the hallway as she entertained the children with a story. He couldn’t imagine dealing with a blackout without another adult here. Right now, she was an angel. 

He walked into the kitchen and opened one of the drawers with random knick-knacks, pushing objects aside looking for his external battery pack and extra charging cord. They would need a fully charged battery just in case. It didn't take long for him to find the object in question. Next, he opened the white cabinet above him, pulling down two flashlights and some candles. Wrapping his arms around all the objects, he walked back to Rey and the children in the living room. 

“Are you guys enjoying the s’mores?” he asked, crouching down and releasing the objects into his lap. He passed a flashlight to Rey, keeping one for himself, and then lit one of the candles. 

Ian chose to ignore him and went straight to the point. “Daddy, when will the lights come on?”

“Not sure buddy.”

“Then how can we watch Netflix or YouTube?”

“Well,” Ben started to explain as he placed a bowl underneath the candle to catch the wax, “not everyone had that growing up. In fact, long ago, people only had candles in order to see in the dark. Instead of television, they would read stories, yardwork, or even sewing.”

“Was that what it was like when you were young.”

Ben was all too used to his son offending him in relation to his age. “I had electricity, son.”

Rey was fighting back a giggle, and he turned to her, affronted. “He thinks the same of you, you know.” He was all too pleased when her mouth opened in shock. 

“You’re too kind Mr. Solo.” Her tone had no inflection. 

“Rey,” Ben whispered, moving his body as close to her as he could. Her body tensed the closer he got, and he felt bad, but he needed to talk to her without Ian and Tyler overhearing. Leaning in, he pressed his lips close to the shell of her ear—close enough for the strands of her hair to tickle his nose. “I checked the weather app, and the storm is only going to get worse. I know it isn’t up to me, but I wouldn’t really feel comfortable if you and Tyler left anytime soon.”

Rey turned her head, their faces a mere inches apart. “Do you think we should stay?” she murmured. Her breath smelled of chocolate with a hint of burnt marshmallows. 

“If you don’t mind. We have a guest room you and Tyler can sleep in. I can let you borrow my clothes, and you can drive back tomorrow when the rain stops. I just wanted to check with you so we can keep the kids calm.”

He could feel her nod, before pulling apart. A small piece of him mourned the loss of the close contact, but he knew he couldn’t explore that feeling any more at this moment. Rather, he focused on the fact their legs were still touching and she didn’t distance herself entirely from him. 

“Tyler, can you come here a minute?”

Tyler walked quickly to his mother and stood in front of her. Her face was alight with the dancing flames, but Tyler’s face was cast in shadows. “What is it, Mummy?”

“Baby, how do you feel about having a sleepover with Ian tonight?”

Ben couldn’t see his facial reaction, but Rey must have seen or felt something because she gave her son a soft smile. 

“Will you stay with me too, Mummy? I don’t want to stay in the dark without you.”

Rey squeezed his hands, “Of course! You can sleep in the guest room with me, or you and Ian can bring the fort in his room. Does that sound like fun?”

“Ian did you hear? We are going to have a real sleepover, just like we were camping for real!”

Ben looked at the loving expression Rey was giving the children, and wished, for just a moment, he met her first. 

\-----

He didn’t know how they made it, but they did. The two somehow managed to feed everyone a fulfilling meal—thanks to Rey’s ingenious methods truth be told. They also managed to get both boys properly bathed and in pajamas. Ian and Tyler wore the same size and Ian was more than happy to let Tyler wear his favorite pajamas. Ben was walking around the house, making sure everything was properly secured before they all turned in. 

Grabbing extra blankets from the closet as a precaution, he walked to Ian’s room and heard Rey telling them both a story while they were laying in the fort. “Here are extra blankets in case you guys get cold. The power company said it shouldn’t be much longer until the lights are back on now the rain is slowing down.”

“Thank you Mr. Solo. You are a good Daddy. Mummy and I like it when you take care of us,” Tyler yawned, his eyes already drifting shut as his mother ran her fingers through his hair. 

“Thanks for the bedtime story Miss Johnson,” Ian mumbled, rolling over to snuggle with his stuffed bear. “I like you as a Mummy. Can you be mine?”

Rey looked up at Ben, unsure what to say, but thankfully before they had a chance to figure it out, the two boys fell asleep. Quietly, the two made their way out of the room, leaving the door ajar for the boys. 

“Do you mind if I shower first?” Rey asked, whispering to him as she walked backward until her back hit the wall. “I just want to be there in case he wakes up.”

“Of course, it’s no trouble. You can use my shower if you’d like. I like to call it the adult bathroom.”

Rey raised an eyebrow at him, and he quickly realized what he said did not come out the way he intended.

Shit. Nope. Abort. 

“I mean, I just thought you would want to shower without the rubber ducky and dinosaur-shaped shampoo bottle.”

“You mean you don’t own dinosaur-shaped shampoo? Really, Ben, what kind of house is this?” 

“Oh, we are very strict on dinosaur items.”

Rey gifted his response with a laugh, and he felt pleased with her reaction. “Really, it’s no trouble. There are fresh towels hanging in my bathroom, and the floor won’t be soaked. I’ll just give you some clothes to wear.”

Leaving no room for argument, he led the way to the room at the back of the house. As he entered, he looked at his room in a new light. It was sparse. Empty. The only personal touch to the room were the framed photographs of Ian (and just Ian) on his nightstand. At least he had the decency to make his bed. He walked to the black drawer and opened the top left one, pulling out a pair of dark-grey sweatpants. He then opened the top right drawer and pulled out a well-used tee-shirt from his college days. 

“Here you go. Restroom is through there, and here’s a flashlight.”

“Thanks, Ben. Tyler and I really appreciate you letting us stay here. We don’t have that many people here in town, and it was….just—thanks.”

He didn’t know what to say in response, and she somehow knew that. Rey squeezed his arm gently, before turning and making her way to the restroom. He waited until he could hear the shower running before he headed back to the front of the house. 

He stared at the front door, looking between the living room and the kitchen, then back to his room. 

Nerves began to run through his body. 

He had no idea what to do.

He couldn’t shower and leave the boys unable to access an adult. He couldn’t hang out in his own bedroom—that would creep Rey out, wouldn’t it? Speaking of Rey, he needed time to figure out just where these feelings for her were coming from. Was it because he was lonely? Was it because it’d been four years since he had been in any kind of relationship with anyone other than those who knew him before the divorce? 

Or was it simply because Rey was...Rey? 

He thought back on her interactions with his son. No one could say she wasn’t a good mother. She was patient and sweet with both of the children. She wasn’t afraid to be loud and play, and she had no qualms at being stern either. He loved the way they always looked at one another before answering questions the other child asked, as if seeking reassurance from a partner they were handling it correctly. It was as if he wasn’t doing this parenting thing alone. She knew what it was like to have a partner leave, trying to navigate the hardships of being a single parent. It was hard for him, but the other parents oohed and ahhed at how he handled it. For her though...he was no stranger to what the other parents said about her. They expected her to be perfect—to raise the child and work forty hours with no issue, to always be punctual to school events and look presentable, to volunteer herself for bake sales and field trips instead of having the PTA corner her as she wrangled her kid in his booster seat. Double standards existed, and it sucked. 

Yet she somehow made it work. 

She was probably one of the strongest women he had ever met, and he had only known her for a few short months. The moment he saw her, he thought she was a teacher at the school. There was no way someone so young and so beautiful could be a parent already. Until he heard the screams of Tyler yelling out for his mom as he dragged Ian with him. He had no choice but to introduce himself, seeing as it was very clear their sons had a close bond. 

If he was honest himself, falling for Rey was going to be an inevitable event. He just thought he had more time. 

“Ben?”

Bringing himself back to the moment, he looked at the beam of light making its way down the hallway. “In the kitchen,” he replied, quickly deciding on his next steps. He grabbed the key taped to the top of the fridge and opened the liquor cabinet, pulling out a bottle of red wine. Locking the cabinet back up, he set to work uncorking the bottle, and grabbing two wine glasses.

“Do you normally drink wine in the dark?” Rey asked, closer to him than he expected. 

“I think we earned it after today. We handled two kids without electricity and are dealing with an impromptu sleepover. However, if you don’t want any, I have delicious tap water available.” 

“Wine sounds amazing actually, but just one please, just in case the boys need me.”

Nodding, he quickly poured the wine into the glasses, the liquid appearing black in the shadows. Turning around, he was able to fully see just what Rey looked like after a shower, and it was a beautiful sight indeed. His clothes were large on her, as he expected. She was not a short girl, but tall and lithe. It still was nothing compared to his size. The clothes hid her frame, and she had to (adorably) roll up the bottoms of the sweatpants so they wouldn’t drag across the floor. 

Handing her one of the glasses, he placed one of his hands on the small of her back to guide her to the living room, where the fireplace was still lit. The soft drizzle of the rain and the warmth set a warm and inviting atmosphere. Together they sat on the couch, facing one another, as they took small and tentative sips of the wine. 

“This is delicious,” Rey muttered. 

“Thanks, I have no idea what it is. Just that my mom brought it over once,” he grinned.

“Does your mom visit often?” she asked, seemingly eager to learn about his mother.

“More than I want. I’m sure you know how overbearing parents can be once they have a grandchild. It used to drive my ex mad.”

“What was she like?”

“My mother?”

“Your ex.”

The silence was heavy between them, but this conversation was bound to happen. Ian was already at the age where he was realizing kids usually have two parents, instead of one. “She was...jeez I don’t even know how to begin. I used to think she was the love of my life, but now looking back on it...I think I just did what was expected of me? We were together all throughout college, and she was smart and pretty and everything someone like me should want. It only seemed reasonable the next step was to get married.”

Ben stopped for a moment, trying to find the right words to explain the moment everything changed yet somehow stayed exactly the same. Rey, as always, realized the trouble he was having, and placed a hand gently on his thigh, encouraging him. 

“We never planned to have kids, but the minute it happened I realized just how different we were. I was excited, scared of course, but so excited. Kaydel though...she wanted everything to be the same. I never realized how selfish she was until that moment. I always acquiesced to her needs and her wants, but she never wanted to even compromise. If we didn’t have Ian I would have never realized it. We signed the divorce papers six months after he was born. It was hard, but we knew it was for the best. She is happy and she calls and checks in, but she lives on the other side of the country now. Ian is starting to realize just what that means.” Ben stopped, taking a breath before looking at Rey. “Your turn, Johnson, what’s your story?”

He watched as she turned her head to look at the flames dancing in the hearth. Her face seemed so drawn and tight, as if she aged twenty years in that moment. Without thinking, he flipped her hand over, and laced their fingers together, waiting with bated breath for her story. 

Squeezing his hand, she took a breath and began. “My life wasn’t the best. I grew up in foster care, and my foster parents,” she stopped for a moment, her voice catching in her throat. Trying again, she said, “They were terrible people and I know now it wasn’t my fault, but growing up, you tend to think it is your fault when your own parents abandoned you. I was eager to feel wanted and loved, and Poe did exactly that. It was never serious between us, but we knew enough about each other to fulfill whatever emptiness we had inside. He was afraid of commitment, and I was afraid of being alone. I found out I was pregnant a few months into our, I guess you would say relationship, and we tried to make it work. He rented a new apartment for us, we both had jobs nearby, and even looked at daycares close to my job. It just wasn’t enough. It became pretty clear it wasn’t going to work between us. I kept the apartment, and he moved out. He became a pilot a couple of years ago, and he always sees Tyler when he is in town. Tyler knows who he is, but he doesn’t  _ know  _ him, you know? He sees Poe as the guy who takes him out for ice cream or to the zoo, but that’s not what a parent is. I just wish I was enough to make him stay,” she whispered, tears glistening in the firelight. “Tyler deserves more than just one parent.”

Unable to bear the sight of her crying any longer, he gently took the wine glass from her hand and set it on the floor next to his. He moved closer to her, wrapping her in his arms as she leaned against his chest.

“You are enough. Tyler is so lucky to have such a wonderful and amazing mother like you.” At this declaration, Rey squeezed him, nuzzling her face into his chest. “Sweetheart, you are everything and more. You deserve more than what Poe can give you, and don’t forget that. You have made a wonderful life for Tyler, and he loves you so much for it.”

“Really?” Her voice was muffled against his chest. 

“Really. Even Ian wants you to be his mom.” He pressed a soft kiss against her forehead. 

At that, she pulled away from him, looking into his eyes. “Ian is a wonderful kid, Ben. You did such a great job raising him.”

The praise caused a blush to grow across his cheeks. Somehow, being complimented at parenting by Rey was different than when his mother said it. “Thank you.”

“I mean it. If I ever had another kid, I would want them to be like Ian.” 

Ben smiled. “If I had another kid, I would want them to be like Tyler.”

“They really are the best of friends.”

“Thick as thieves.”

They continued to look in each other’s eyes with soft smiles on their faces. Slowly, a tension unfurled around them, a heat that had nothing to do with the fire glowing a few feet from them. 

Ben’s mouth felt dry and his mind was blank. Unconsciously he licked his lips, trying to think of something to say, but his eyes were focused on the way she tracked his movements. 

“Rey,” he whispered. 

Leaning forward, she moved steadily and slowly, giving him ample time to see her intention and respond accordingly. Instead of moving away like he originally planned (because he was a gentleman dammit), he met her halfway, lips pressed against lips.

It was heaven. It was bliss. It was everything he had ever hoped for and nothing he could have ever imagined. This was what happiness tasted like. This was what it was like to perceive the future that should have been, that could still be, and he savored it. 

He cupped her face gently with his hands, pressing his lips more firmly against hers. She sighed into his mouth and he knew at that moment she was the woman he had been waiting his entire life for. 

Pulling apart, he opened his eyes leisurely, torn between wanting the moment to last, and wanting to end it to make many more. Her eyes were hooded, still blinking slowly as if trying to wake from a dream. Blinking quickly, her beautiful hazel eyes focused on his, and her mouth parted.

“Oh,” she breathed. 

“Yeah.”

“I meant the lights. They are back on,” she said, looking up pointedly at the now rotating ceiling fan. 

“Ah,” Ben said, unable to save himself from further embarrassment. 

“Ben,” Rey started, pressing her forehead against his, “that kiss was…” she trailed off, unable to find the right words. With her there next to him though, as they centered themselves around one another, he knew just what she meant. 

“I know. I feel it too.”

“Ben. Would you like to go on a date with me, with or without our kids?”

He couldn’t help himself. He grinned boyishly at her, knowing his dimples were on display. “I’d love to.”


End file.
